Good Evening,
In these challenging times, I hope everyone in our community is managing to take care of their family and draw strength from your friendship network. The headlines and the speed of events are concerning for all of us, so I wanted to share an update and give you the best information that we have from the school’s perspective. The message is rather long, but we are aware that there are lots of questions you may have and we want to provide everyone with as much detail as we can. Please take the time to read the message through to the end.
Global Reaction to COVID-19
As we can read, across the world there has been a wide range of responses to COVID-19 as it has become a pandemic. Flights are being cancelled, schools are being closed; sports, cultural and social events are on hold, and several countries have declared a national state of emergency, including Romania, as of Monday, March 16. In Romania, this stepped response was likely due to the number of reported cases going above 100. I will explain what this new response may mean in a moment.
With our social norms and certainties being challenged, it is natural that some people are very anxious. We can all notice how social media can increase these anxieties and has led to some misinformation or exaggerations being passed on. We need to make sure that we are using trusted sources of information as we navigate this together.
In fact, what we have learned from the experience in China and other Asian countries is that the most effective way of stopping the spread of this virus is to limit person-to-person contact for a period of time. This strategy ‘flattens the curve’ of infections. It limits the number of cases in a region or country, often quite dramatically. The number of cases in China has been falling since the first week in February using this strategy. Relatively speaking in Europe, Romanian authorities acted quickly to take measures to improve this ‘social distancing’.
This excellent resource was shared by a doctor (and statistician) friend working in the refugee settlements on the border of Thailand and Myanmar. It shows a helpful set of data about what we currently know about COVID-19 and is good for visual learners. One of the key takeaways is that the mortality rate that the Director-General of WHO estimated as between 3 and 4 % of COVID-cases is being reevaluated as lower than this because there are a very large number of infections that are simply not reported or recorded.
Romanian Reaction to COVID-19
As of today, there are 139 cases reported in Romania, no deaths and 9 cases reported as cured.
Here is the situation report from the WHO so you can see how this compares to other countries currently. Generally speaking, the net result of responses from the Romanian authorities have been relatively quick compared to other countries around us. There has been a stepped response, which increased yesterday when the government declared a national emergency. Other countries, such as Hungary and Bulgaria, made a similar declaration yesterday.
There may be further announcements to clarify exactly what this means for all of us in practical terms, but here is a summary of what we think will happen:
A national emergency gives governments special powers to tackle a crisis. In this health crisis, the government needs to fast-track decisions to concentrate more resources in the health sector and to manage the social situation effectively to limit further infections.
So, to be confirmed, this is likely to mean:
● Gatherings of above 50 people will be stopped
● Workplaces should only have essential staff onsite
● Governmental funds are being diverted to support the health service
● All leave is being cancelled for doctors, who are going to be operating on shorter shifts
● The military and police will be given extra authority to limit travel and ensure law and order is maintained
● Non-essential stores are likely to be closed. Food stores will manage the number of people coming in and out to prevent crowding.
We are waiting to see how these measures will be put into practice. As much as possible, the authorities will ask people to stay at home and limit movement to the essential, such as food shopping. The Romanian Internal Affairs Ministry has posted a Facebook message asking all citizens to stay at home and to protect children by avoiding playgrounds.
At this stage, we would encourage all of you to be at home as much as possible. I would also encourage you to try and limit play-dates and other social gatherings. If you can practice this social distancing for a two-week period, then you will be able to socialise with others who have kept safe in the same way after that time.
Distance Learning
The first day of distance learning went well on Friday with positive participation rates and teachers reporting good buy-in from students. Day two is tomorrow and we will keep learning about what is working and adaptations we need to make. Our teachers really are working hard to deliver a successful programme.
While there has been no update on the official reopening of schools in Romania, given the pattern of events in Europe, we expect the date to be pushed back from March 22. We will let you know as soon as we know. Some of our international families have travelled back to be with family or to a familiar destination for a sense of comfort at this time. As we think ahead to a school restart, we will plan for all eventualities, including a blended model of in-school and distance learning as families and teachers rejoin our community from international travel.
Please continue to be in touch with us and ask any questions that you have.
With best wishes to everyone,
Peter Welch
Director
